Charouleau Gap Trail Tucson Arizona

Charouleau Gap trail is known to be one of the best in the state. Its most intimidating obstacle, "The Step", is optional, but you'll find many more impressive spots that aren't. When Canada Del Oro Wash is flowing, the experience is epic. The trail is maintained by the Tuscon Rough Riders.
Difficulty
Difficult: Long and remote with challenging obstacles and potentially deep water crossings. Very steep in places with loose rock. Route-finding can be challenging, even with GPS. Not for stock SUVs. Go with a group and be prepared for breakdowns.
Access Description
Head north on Highway 77 from Tucson. Turn right on Golder Ranch Road before town of Catalina. Drive east 1.2 miles and turn left on Lago Del Oro Parkway. Continue north another 1.8 miles to start of trail on right, marked with kiosk.
Camera Gear
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Facebook Group - bit.ly/2SXX0nm
Instagram - / noticon1
Twitter - / matthew36789984

[@Chris-lp3dm]

Charouleau Gap has certainly gotten tougher over the years. I first went up it in 1972 on the back of a friend's dirt bike. I'd hop off and walk it when it was too steep for us both to be on the bike. Around 1983 or so could get all the way up and over the saddle and down to the creek in a 2WD 1966 Ford F100 pickup. My first 4WD ride up the trail was a in a little Chevy LUV pickup, which crawled up easily and surprised a Jeep group up in the saddle who'd been listening to me approaching for some time wondering what sort of four-wheeler it was. Later did it in both a 1989 Nissan D21 Hardbody and a friend's Jeep Cherokee. As I watch the video I do recognize some of the portions but all look more severe than I recall. Must be all the years of erosion and countless vehicles. Must be over 30 years now since I've been on it. Rather a shame folks can't know the route from before all the development. Back before Saddlebrooke and all the growth obliterated much of what had been Golder Ranch. The way in to the start of the Gap road was itself a bit of a wander across the desert, up the Canyon Del Oro Wash keeping a sharp eye out for where the path began. So now there's a "Kiosk" at the start? Wow ... just ... wow ....

[@ATEMOFFROAD]

Arizona is trail heaven man , loving the views and the trails here. I need to get out there sometime and visit ya. We just got the wheels for our jk and lift is next . Awesome video buddy 🍻

[@NotICON]

It’s absolutely beautiful out here! It’s completely different than what I got used to in Northern California, but there is some great wheeling out here as well. Thanks for watching, and I will be on the lookout for the JK updates

[@lancaster8739]

Great video! That is a fun trail. The escalator at the end was a pucker moment!

[@NotICON]

Thank you. Yeah there are a lot of pucker factors on the trail, some more than others. Over all it is a really fun trail.

[@eprohoda]

Bravo. beautifull job~ man~

[@NotICON]

Thank you

[@stormw777]

wow. looks like a fun trail. Good music too.

[@NotICON]

It was a really fun trail, but a long one. I think if I do it again I will have to camp somewhere along the trail. Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed the music.

[@natoman]

This trail looks pretty sick dude!

[@NotICON]

Yeah it was a pretty awesome trail, just really long. It was the trail that just never ended

[@entropynomad3165]

Way to be entertaining and informative. Glad to have you in our neighborhood. What AZ trail is next?

[@NotICON]

Thank you. There are just so many to choose from. I really want to check out the Back Way to Crown King, but the Florence area looks like it has a lot of awesome trails that I want to do as well.

[@roadrunneradventure]

Glad you're in town and wheeling. I haven't done Charouleau Gap yet, but I have done back road to Crown King twice :)

[@NotICON]

I’m excited about getting out on Crown King. It looks like a really fun trail.

[@roadrunneradventure]

@@NotICON it is. It is very long too, it will take all day to get to Crown King and back out to black top. The trail is supposed to be one way, but side by sides think differently.

[@NotICON]

@@roadrunneradventure Yeah I knew that Crown King would make for a long day, but it looks like it will be worth it. Just gotta start early I guess. Gotta love those side by sides right? I was stationed in CA for 4 years, and when Covid hit there was a boom in new side by sides hitting the trails. None of them knew what trail etiquette was or what Tread Lightly meant.

[@roadrunneradventure]

@@NotICON It's no different here sadly.

[@NotICON]

@@roadrunneradventure Thats sad. Hopefully they don't shut down trails as easily here as they did in CA.

[@pair-o-dice4wheelersclub665]

Thank Matt, Looks like a cool trail. If I ever get out that way you can take me on it.

[@NotICON]

I will happily take you out on some of the trails here

[@codylawrence2827]

Good to see you back to making videos again! Looks like AZ. has better trails then CO..... Let me know if you come out here this summer 😘

[@NotICON]

What are you talking about? Colorado has some amazing trails out there. Holy Cross being one of them. You know I will boo 😘

[@codylawrence2827]

@@NotICON best I can tell, holy cross is the only decent trail.... And it only has a few good spots. Then you got hard knocks which is less than a year old and only like an eighth of a mile long and truly for buggies.

[@NotICON]

@@codylawrence2827 I’m surprised, I figured there would be way more trails.

[@codylawrence2827]

@@NotICON there is lots of trails, just not much that is moderate to hard. Nothing like the con or Fordyce.

[@NotICON]

@@codylawrence2827 well I guess something is better than nothing. You got spoiled in CA with the trails there

[@malikijeepy]

What size lift on the Wj I was thinking about going and trying the trail

[@ronaldrrootiii6040]

Hey I was wondering how long does it take to get from the Oracle side to the watch? I want to take my kids and they want me to go that way because it looks less technical and they like looking at rocks in the wash

[@andymason43]

I know it says a year ago but I was wondering what month? If it was before or after the monsoon. I herd it had got really bad after the monsoon. You guys look like the most recent to go through on you tube.

[@NotICON]

This was before the monsoon season. I want to say it was in March

[@josephhoward4010]

Looks like a ton more fun than the Tucson Wash!

[@NotICON]

It’s a lot more challenging that’s for sure.

[@celticsfaninthedesert4778]

Been waiting for this one. Based on your video I definitely would have been fine without the oil pan skid, I actually the the trail I ended up doing that day was about the same just much shorter 😂 Did you give up on filming as it got later in the day? I didn’t see the step or the escalator

[@NotICON]

I yeah I think you would have been completely fine. Apparently the step is off the main trail and none of us saw where it was. This was everyone’s first time on this trail. The trail was a lot longer than I thought it would be, and I was running out of batteries for the cameras. Leave it to a long trail to highlight how many more batteries you need

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Very cool run and Jeep’s! Do you need a permit to do that trail?

[@NotICON]

Thank you. You don’t need a permit to do this trail.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

@@NotICON awesome! Thanks!😎👍

[@deanscherer687]

Did it in the 70's when 4 wheelers knew how to drive not tering up the trails

[@AustinH7]

Haha that Jeep with the let’s go Brandon sticker good stuff 🤣

[@NotICON]

Brandon is a popular guy.... everybody keeps cheering him on 😂

[@ghernandez6457]

Did Brandon had lockers?

[@NotICON]

No Brandon didn't have lockers. He did fine though, just had to back up and take another line in a few spots.

[@ghernandez6457]

@@NotICON lol just to give me an idea of how my jeep would do I got a sport with 33s and a front auto locker, plenty of clearance mods though. I am glad he did fine in those obstacles.

[@NotICON]

@@ghernandez6457 the WJ was on 31s and no lockers. He used his rock rails though.

[@natoman]

Joe Biden is laughing at 00:10 :D